Sewer line remedy in Antrim Township tops $1.5 million

The Antrim Township Municipal Authority has two options for correcting sewer overflows at the pump station near Shanks Church Road behind Carol Avenue. Both options are projected to cost more than $1.5 million, according to engineers.

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By Colleen Seidel/The Record Herald

Waynesboro Record Herald - Waynesboro, PA

By Colleen Seidel/The Record Herald

Posted Dec. 12, 2012 at 12:15 PM

By Colleen Seidel/The Record Herald

Posted Dec. 12, 2012 at 12:15 PM

GREENCASTLE — The Antrim Township Municipal Authority has two options for correcting sewer overflows at the pump station near Shanks Church Road behind Carol Avenue.

Both options are projected to cost more than $1.5 million, according to engineers.

In October, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection required a sewer study at the site, which overflows during heavy rain such as in September 2011 with Tropical Storm Lee. The study, conducted by York-based engineering firm Buchart-Horn Inc., identified the problem and designed two possible solutions as part of a DEP-required corrective action plan.

The problem

According to Antrim Township Public Works Director Carl Rundquist, the problem at the site is that three different sewer pumps converge on one 8-inch gravity pipe, producing too large a flow for the pipe to handle.

Dennis Crabill, the engineer who led the study, told supervisors that "the capacity (of the pipe) is not enough for what you see now or in the future."

As a part of the study, Crabill and his team projected future flows at the site as well.

Proposed solutions

The first solution is to replace the 8-inch pipe with an 18-inch pipe where it currently is located underneath Shanks Church Road, according to Crabill. This would require crews to dig through the road and replace the road when finished.

This option is projected to cost around $2.3 million.

The second option includes moving the location where the three pumps converge west of its current site through farm fields and replacing the 8-inch pipe with the 18-inch pipe, Crabill said.

The second option, which Crabill recommended, is projected to cost $1.75 million dollars.

"There's no easy fix when you're dealing with a lot of sewage going through a little pipe," Crabill said.

Financing

Paying for the project is the responsibility of the ATMA, but Rundquist presented the information regarding the project to the supervisors Tuesday in case the ATMA needs help with the financing.

"Because of the funding, you're going to be involved at some point," Brad Graham, township manager, told the supervisors.

Solicitor John Lisko said it is possible for the township to loan money to the ATMA for the project if needed.

Fred Young III, chairman of the supervisors, said it might be something the board would consider.

Graham said that he is not sure when the ATMA will make a decision on which proposed solution to go with.

"It's still too preliminary. We still have to talk about financing," he said.